Just cause you can record in a studio don't mean you have a great live show!!

I've been having this debate with some folks for some time now. Honestly, I don't even know why I continue to have this conversation with such people. Anyways....let's cut to the meat and potatoes of this thing. .....There are definitely some guys out there that rap and swear they are the best shit since sliced bread, but when they hit the stage the show is sooooo stale. I feel that a live performance is the best way to market your music and leave a lasting impression on your audience. It doesn't matter if its a small crowd you should still be able to engage them correctly. I got a few rules to follow if you don't want to have a bad show.

My number one rule is a good one.

1. Don't come to a live show with the actual studio recordings and just rap over the original songs. (I hate that. However, It's okay to have the hook  in there or maybe even an adlib if you don't have a back up emcee)

2. Don't have a million dumb asses on the stage with mics screaming and yelling and screaming drowning you and your music out...LOL!

3. Engage and work the crowd. I've seen rappers engaging everybody on the stage never even acknowledging the crowd. Just don't get up on that stage, rap and bounce. Let the people have fun. Shit every show I've done no one ever new the lyrics to any of our songs, but I guarantee that when we get off stage, they have had fun while interacting with us. 

4. Don't stand in one spot holding your private parts....LOL! (this is sickning!!)

5. Don't do more talking than you are perfoming. No one wants to hear your whole life story and synopsis of every song you perform. Just get in there and let the crowd feel it. If they like it, they will respond. If not......you will know. Taking a 2min block to explain why you wrote the song and shit just isn't effective. 

Okay there are more rules to come, but just soak these five up for now. In the mean time check out some poor examples of a show: